The Royal Sonesta Hotel, located on the exhilarating Bourbon Street in the very center of the French Quarter of New Orleans, La., exudes European elegance and Southern charm. Guests are only half of a block from the Aquarium of the Americas and Harrah's Casino, and just a short drive from the Audubon Zoo, Six Flags New Orleans and the Living Science Museum. Jackson Square is another popular nearby option for guests where quaint shops, street performers, soothsayers, tarot-card readers, artisans and other entertainers ply their trades, located six blocks from the Royal Sonesta.

The seven-story hotel in the Big Easy is built in traditional French Quarter style, with gabled windows, French doors and wrought-iron balconies from which guests watch all the action on Bourbon Street, especially during Mardi Gras. Guests can dine on French and Creole cuisine at Begue's, wind up at the Desire Oyster Bar, and then at Le Booze bar, which opens onto Bourbon Street for a quintessential New Orleans experience. In addition to street-level shopping, the hotel features an outdoor pool, fitness center, interior patios, a sightseeing and information desk, and in-room massages.
The 500 guest rooms offer antique- reproduction art and furnishings, mini-bars, data ports, high-speed Internet access, CD players and designer toiletries.

With multiple conference rooms, audio/visual equipment and a spot near the central business district, the hotel caters to corporate travelers and wedding parties, but tourists consider the Royal Sonesta a favorite because of its central French Quarter location.